GGD-93-71FS: Published: Mar 8, 1993. Publicly Released: Apr 9, 1993.

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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the number of personnel engaged in public and congressional affairs activities in 31 selected federal agencies.

GAO found that: (1) the estimated full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel engaged in public and congressional affairs during fiscal years (FY) 1991 and 1992 has increased since FY 1985; (2) 26 agencies reported FTE totals for public and congressional affairs for FY 1991 and 1992 that were greater or less than the totals reported in FY 1985 by 25 percent or more; (3) reasons for differences in FTE totals included changes due to increased or decreased involvement in public or congressional affairs and differences in interpretation of the 1985 and 1992 questionnaires; (4) agencies reported that 320 and 329 political appointees engaged in public affairs activities during FY 1991 and 1992, respectively; and (5) agencies reported that 372 and 366 political appointees engaged in congressional affairs activities during FY 1991 and 1992, respectively.